April 26, 2014
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Auburn's offense broke out for seven runs, matching a season-high in SEC play, to earn a 7-2 victory at Arkansas in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday night and clinch their fifth-straight series victory over the Razorbacks.
Auburn (25-20, 9-12 SEC) snapped a four-series losing skid in conference play and won a series in Fayetteville for the fourth straight trip in front of a Baum Stadium record crowd of 11,742.
The Auburn offense struck quickly, scoring all seven runs in the first four innings to put the game out of reach early and give senior Michael O'Neal (3-4) some major run support.
O'Neal worked eight full innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out four in his longest outing of the year.
Damek Tomscha and Ryan Tella had two hits apiece to lead the Auburn offense. Tomscha and Blake Austin both drove in two runs, with Austin's two RBI coming on a two-run homer in the third inning.
Auburn got a run in the first when Damek Tomscha stole second with two outs, and the throw from the catcher got away from the second baseman, allowing Damon Haecker to score from third and give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
A two-out, two-run homer by Blake Austin made it 3-0 in the third, and the Tigers then exploded for four runs in the fourth to blow the game wide open. A walk to Anfernee Grier and back-to-back bunt singles by Ryan Tella and Jordan Ebert loaded the bases with no out, and a pinch-hit walk to Blake Logan brought Grier home to make it 4-0 and chase Arkansas starter Chris Oliver.
The second pitch from reliever Dominic Taccolini got by the catcher, allowing Tella to score from third and give Auburn a 5-0 lead, and a two-out Damek Tomscha single brought home two more runs, giving the Tigers a 7-0 lead.
Arkansas got on the board in the sixth with a two-out, two-RBI double by Blake Baxendale to make it 7-2.
Auburn dropped the first game of the doubleheader, falling 4-3 in 10 innings.
With final exams scheduled to begin Monday, the Tigers will not play any midweek games for the first time this season. Auburn is back in action next Friday-Sunday as Mississippi State visits Plainsman Park for a three-game SEC series.